MADISON TWP. — New winter clothing to help dozens of students in Adrian and Detroit was donated Tuesday by inmates at the Gus Harrison Correctional Facility.

A total of 67 new coats, 73 hats, 78 pairs of gloves and seven pairs of boots were presented to school officials from Adrian's Michener Elementary School and Detroit charter school Ross-Hill Academy.

"It's beyond having something newer. It's about something they need," Michener principal Deb Risner said, explaining that parents are having a harder time buying winter clothing. "Yesterday before the kindergartners went out to recess, three just had sweatshirts and others had coats that didn't zip."

Ross-Hill board member Tom Adams accepted on behalf of president and founder Nellie Williams.

"It's so great to see a facility here helping a school on the east side of Detroit," he said. "You make gestures like this, it shows you're paying your way to come home and to be a credit to your community."

Inmates used an extra charge collected from vending machine sales as well as donations to the Prisoner Benefit Fund, according to Paul Klee, Gus Harrison's superintendent.

Christina Bates, a corrections special program coordinator, said a total of $4,000 was raised.

Combined with donations earlier this year, it brings the total to $8,000.

Klee expressed appreciation to Adrian's Meijer store for providing the right types of clothing and for doing so at a discount. Other staff singled out for their help included business manager Von Stewart and Nicole Cheney, also a program coordinator.

Inmate George Betts-Bey, head of the facility's chapter of National Lifers of America, said about 60 inmates were involved with Project Help. He said the goal was to help children at Christmas, and to provide positive mentoring examples for other inmates.

"We're trying to put 'correction' back in the Department of Corrections by changing our behavior," Betts-Bey said.

Klee added that inmates also are providing older clothing that will be donated to local men's missions.